Kimono Crazed

As fashion’s inspirational clock turns ever backwards [goodbye, 70s, hello 30s…40s, and even 20s], one of the early 20th century’s most seductive garments is making a notable comeback– the Kimono. To say nothing of its ancient origins as a bastion of traditional Japanese dress, the kimono first entered the Western consciousness with the advent of Japonisme in the late 19th century, as artists like Claude Monet and later Gustav Klimt [in the early 20th century] famously painted portraits of women in these languid, ornate garments.

Designers Fortuny and Paul Poiret adopted the languid, almost shapeless cut for outerwear in the 1910s, anticipating the kimono’s widespread acceptance in the roaring 20s as women’s liberation accelerated full-speed ahead, and the advent of cinema and film idols began to hold sway over record audiences– with stars like Louise Brooks, Marion Davies, and later Marlene Dietrich herself wearing kimonos both on and off-screen.

WWII brought about fabric restrictions and a general disdain of Japanese [and Japanese-inspired] products, unfortunately, and the kimono disappeared, emerging later in the 70s and 80s. Designers reprised this subtly subversive, seductive garment for S/S and F/W 11 in an exciting array of styles, contributing to the Return of the Rounded Shoulder and evolving the long and languid looks of recent seasons.

Below, a selection of the inspirational photos, alongside runway styles from the current and coming seasons.